Tekra Carries Conductive Inks For Printed Electronics

Meeting the Demands of Today’s Flexographic, Screen and Gravure Printers

Tekra is an authorized distributor of Henkel Electronic Materials’ full line of functional inks and coatings for printed electronics that include silver conductive inks, carbon conductive inks, dielectric inks. Henkel Printed Electronics materials offer a wide variety of inks that can be applied via screen, flexographic, and rotogravure printing methods and are broadly used in the energy, medical biosensor, and consumer electronics markets on both flexible and rigid materials.

Flexographic and Gravure Printing

Flexographic printing, also known as Flexo Printing, is a high-speed process that uses flexible rubber relief plates to print an image onto a particular substrate. Because of its low cost and reliability, it is a popular form of printing.

According to Henkel’s Printed Electronic’s Brochure, Flexo and Gravure printing technologies have seen many advances in ink development, process changes and press designs. Over the last ten years, these techniques have advanced high-speed printing capabilities for printed electronics and circuitry. Developments range from changes in Flexo plate designs and materials, improved ink distribution, drying capabilities, and the press platforms themselves.

With continuous roll to roll processing, newer Flexo machines are capable of running at speeds that cannot be matched with current flatbed printing. Henkel Printed Electronics has developed a line of inks that can be effectively processed, deposited and cured at the thicknesses needed for today’s functional inks.

Tekra carries a variety of Conductive Inks that are suitable for high-speed Flexographic Printing

Gravure printing, which is sometimes referred to as rotogravure printing, is an Intaglio method of printing because of its use of engraving. With Gravure printing, the design is engraved onto a plate or cylinder. Ink is applied to the image carrier and then transferred onto the substrate.

Tekra carries a variety of Conductive Inks suitable for Rotogravure Printing

Screen Printing

Screen printing involves using a mesh screen to transfer a design onto a flat surface such as polyester film. A stencil is used to create areas where the ink can flow through to the printable surface. A squeegee runs across the surface pushing the ink through the openings in the stencil.

Tekra carries a variety of Henkel Inks that are Screen Printable:

Tekra's partnership with Henkel provides our customers access to world-class products used in the production of flexible circuitry, biosensors, antennas, flexible heating elements and membrane touch switches. Contact Tekra to learn more about conductive inks for printed electronics at 800-448-3572.